A Yankee Doodle Dandy of a Reds Minor League Game Thread - 7/4/21

[texasdave]

Louisville 7:15 PM EDT - 21-31 This is not quite a Higg's boson alert, but Louisville has won 5 of its last 7 contests. That's cause for celebration. And, if you want fireworks, the Bats are sending the right guy to the mound this evening. Hunter Greene (4.73), or Mr. 3D (Triple Digit) to you, will be firing rockets from his bionic right arm. Cover your eyes! This schedule is goofy. 6 games in Nashville, 6 games at home against Memphis, back to Nashville for 6 more and, finally, 6 more back at home against Memphis. That is big-time goofy. Louisville is teaming up with Atrium Brewing to come up with their own craft beer. Bat Boy Beer (beer nuts not included). They are introducing the beer tomorrow. So, if you're in town, and and alcoholic, feel free to drop by.

Bat Boy Launch Party, July 5th from 7-10! Be one of the first to try our new Bat Boy craft beer during our launch party at Atrium Brewing! The event will include live music and a raffle! Entry is FREE and open to everyone! (Hopefully, they mean everyone of drinking age or older!

Shouldn't pitching coaches be somewhat adept at pitching? Seth Etheron has a career MLB ERA of 6.30. Shouldn't hitting coach have some hitting skill? Alex Pelaez accumulated a total of 8 ABs in the Show.

[Kc61]

One of my favorite old movies, I used to watch it on TV as a kid.

[texasdave]

Chattanooga - 7:30 PM EDT - 30-22 - The Lookouts are sending a guy to the mound tonight who is simply a horrible sportsman. He doesn't play the game fairly. Graham Ashcraft (0.00) has not allowed the other team to score in his last six starts, covering 37 innings. Okay, there was one run, but it was unearned so it doesn't count in my book, which is the only book that matters to me. What a stingy guy. I'm throwing up a little in my mouth just typing this. They even named him the Reds Minor League Pitcher of the Month. Ugh! Chattanooga is the only team in the organization to post 30 wins. Chattanooga has exactly zero players on their roster that was born in the month of July. I figured out the odds of that happening, and it's one in a lot. The calculator sit out this number - 1.7637259e+44. That helps. Not! So, I looked that up and maybe, to the best of my feeble understanding, it means 1 in 176325900000000000000000000000000000000000000. Or maybe not. I gave it a shot. If your name is Ryan, and you get assigned to Chattanooga, change your name. Really. They have 3 Ryans - Campbell, Lillie and Olsen, and they are all on the 60 day IL. Remember Wennington Romero? He's on the 60-day IL as well. Lorenzo Cedrola is as hot as a firecracker on the Fourth of July.

[texasdave]

Dayton - 6:35 PM EDT - 29-23. - JC Keys (2.08) will be making a spot start for the Dragons tonight. He started the year at Chattanooga, but has been throttled back a level. His first year in the organization was 2019, when he pitched for Greeneville (Low Rookie). He started 2021 in High A. Someone sees something. He was bounced up to Chattanooga for awhile, before being deflated back to Dayton.

Keys played for one of the top high school programs in Mississippi, Oak Grove in Hattiesburg, where his team won the state championship in his junior year and was the runner-up the next season. He was 1st Team All-State as a senior, going 10-2 with a 1.64 ERA.

Ricky Karcher has come off the IL, and has been promoted to Dayton. Was Karcher any good in high school? Karcher helped guide Saline High School to highest win percentage in school history with a 35-3 overall record. He finished senior season at Saline with a 9-0 record and a 0.41 ERA. I'd say affirmative. The Dragons only had one hit yesterday, so there are plenty of knocks left in that lumber.

[texasdave]

Daytona - 6:35 PM EDT 24-29 - Daytona had its 4-game winning streak cut short last night. Might as well start another one. Miguel Medrano (0.00) is making his second start with the Tortugas. He was not exactly dominant in his first start, but he kept them from scoring. Medrano was acquired from the Texas Rangers for international pool money. So, basically, he was traded for nothing. Medrano excelled in Billings in 2019. He was named the Pioneer League Pitcher of the Year, and was selected to both the mid-season and post-season All Stars. If you are thinking that there will be fireworks after the game, you might be clairvoyant to a certain extent. Nick Hanson was brought off the IL last night. Hayden Shenenfield (right elbow strain) was put on it. Tyler Callihan has been moved to the 60-day IL. No surprise there. Daytona has outscored the opposition 37-10 in the seventh inning. Whoa! Daytona designated hitters have hit just .223 this season. The Tortugas have used just 3 pinch hitters all season. They are looking for their first base hit.

[texasdave]

Daytona - Delayed Start

[texasdave]

Dayton - JC Keys has faced 9 hitters, and retired them all as Dayton leads 1-0 after 3 innings.

James Free singled and strolled home on a Victor Ruiz double.

[texasdave]

Louisville - The Bats are barely underway, and already lead 1-0. Leadoff hitter Max Shrock left the park (1) on a rocket to right field.

For the third straight game, no Logan Morrison.

Brandon Finnegan is unscored upon over his last five appearances, covering 7 innings. He has allowed just 1 hit in that span.

1-2-3 first for Hunter Greene. 2 Ks.

[texasdave]

Dayton - The Lugnuts rough up Keys for 2 runs in the fourth. They lead Dayton 2-1. That doesn't seem like a fair fight, a Dragon vs. a Lugnut?

[texasdave]

Chattanooga - Graham Ashcraft posts a 1-2-3 first, fanning 1.

The radio announcer just said that Wilson Garcia is 10th in the leading in hitting with a .274 batting average. LOL.

Apparently, Mark Kolozsvary is a tremendous defensive catcher.

UPDATE: Another 1-2-3 for Ashcraft, along with another K. 15 pitches through 2 innings.

[texasdave]

Louisville - A rough inning for Hunter in the second. 2 walks, a double, 2 singles and a HBP lead to 3 runs. Only a caught stealing prevented further damage. Bats behind 3-1.

[texasdave]

Chattanooga Chattanooga pushes across a run on a TJ Hopkins walk, followed by an Errol Robinson double. Lookouts lead 1-0 after three.

Graham Ashcraft with another 1-2-3, this time he strikes out a pair, giving him 4 for the contest.

[texasdave]

Louisville - Hunter Greene encounters more trouble in the third. A walk, a double and a single nets Nashville a pair. They lead 5-1 now.

Greene's line through three is subpar: 3 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP.

[texasdave]

Daytona - Medrano gives up a run in the first, but has been holding the line since. Tortugas are still looking for their first base hit. 1-0 Lakeland in the 4th.

[texasdave]

Chattanooga - Four innings of perfection for Ashcraft, 5 Ks.